Bondage (and not the fun kind)

I’m sure this isn’t a revelation to many of you, but you can be in bondage to all kinds of things. Sometimes this is funner than others.

In the case of today’s stories, it’s the not-fun kind (sorry). It’s the immensely hard, stuck-in-this-place-and-it-hurts kind. The desperate, agonising kind which eventually wears you down beyond the end of your strength and starts undermining your soul.

And the worst thing is, while you’re tied up in it, you can do little else. Your capacity to love or help others is severely reduced, because your world shrinks to the size of whatever Big Ugly has its teeth and claws death-locked into your psyche.

But what if you were free? What then?

That was the question which struck me (finally, after years of not even considering what life would look like beyond the constriction of those bonds).

You have healed the visible wounds – and now you’re moving on to the invisible ones. Knowing they’re there is half the battle. Don’t close the door on a new relationship – you’re starting a new chapter in the book of your life. There may be someone out there who takes you by surprise. But take your time. Gather your strength. Figure out who you are first. This is a great step. Very raw and powerful. And it will help someone. Thank you for speaking out.

“Your capacity to love or help others is severely reduced, because your world shrinks to the size of whatever Big Ugly has its teeth and claws death-locked into your psyche.” Ah, Lizzi – while you may think this is the case, it isn’t. Your capacity to love is infinite and you have helped me more than you know! I know it’s not like ending world hunger or finding homes for all of the unwanted pets – but it means a lot to me!

I read both linked posts. My heart goes out to Samara. And I’m pretty sure that when Samara thinks of you, she thinks of your love and how you were there for her in her most desperate time of need. I hope that both of you can recognize the goodness each of you has.

Yes – Samara and I are a right pair! But we do boost one another up, and look out for one another, so there’s that. I am HUGELY thankful for SW for putting me in touch with her, and for being part of the way we’ve grown as friends 🙂 And thank goodness I was around that night…!